Zoom 5000 Hybrid Distortion Pedal

Easy as pie. Anyone who has used a stompbox before should have no trouble. There is a cool feature on using two settings (see other reviews on how to do it) and the noise reduction (nice).

Has a late 80's metal vibe going for it. Hint: when at bedroom levels, I find putting the treble between 12 and 3 o'clock brings out alot of clarity but at the same setting at gig levels will cut your head off. When cranking up with an amp I keep the treble at about 9 o'clock, bass between 12 and 3 o'clock, gain between 12 and 3 o'clock and volume at about 9 o'clock. I primarily use this pedal for spice and laughs---not my main tone. I end up using all the settings, depending on the song I am playing and it is nice to have alot of variety in one pedal. This has taken the place of my metal zone on my pedal board (SKB powered job). The funny thing is is that on my fender hot rod deville (w/ 4 -10's) this pedal really pushes the amp and makes it sound more like a stack with a heavy glorious thump than it does on my trace vellocette, mesa/boogie DC-20 or my mesa/boogie 50/50 power amp. Through those amps it just sounds like any other pedal (noway near as good as the amp's true distortion (except with the power amp)) but with the deville it really pushes. That in itself is cool that you can take a "blues" amp and make it behave entirely different. The tones themselves are synthetic in nature and not as good as a really cranking amp, but decent in and among themselves. I've tried briefly the new analog pedals from zoom and they sound ok (I kinda dug the new fuzz, we'll have to see if I pick that one up) but the older pedal has similar sounds and can do alot more (although it can't do the "scooped" mids---which is ok since that tone to me has always sounded like crap. I prefer a fatter sound that you can play power chords 'and' leads on. Scooped mids sound fine for power chords, not good for leads. The zoom 5000 all in all is pretty impressive. It does however, make me spontaneously break into bad metal riffs. That, of course, brings frowns to my band mates which makes me even more happy.

I had one crap out on me (the switch went) and I sent it out to a guy to fix and it hasn't come back yet so I got another one. Since I only use it from time to time and not for my main tone, I would (and have alot) gigged with it w/o a backup.

I e-mailed sampson (parent company to zoom) once, never got a response. Make your own evaluation here.

Been playing 18 years. It's interesting---alot of comments on Harmony Central are from either bedroom players with practice amps or guys like me that have done a ton of gigging and have/have had tons of gear. I think that's great having all those perspectives (although I do admit to readily dismissing the people that say anything "rocks" through their crate practice amp). Is this the greatest pedal ever made? To some people, yes. To others, a strong no. It's a high gain pedal that has a wide variety of tones and depending on the rest of your gear, it can make everything you own sound like junk and synthetic or awesomely huge. If you see one, try it out with your own gear. If you see one for sale, I would say pick it up and try it out. If you don't like it, there will always be someone who would buy it since they are no longer made. People look at my pedal board and say "Zoom"?!?! along side with a bk butler tube driver, cybaby, rotovibe, rocktron hush pedal, boss chorus, pro-co rat, nobels overdrive, and a zoom choir (another cool pedal from the same era as the 5000---if you see one of those, also check it out). But when they hear it, they dig it. To me, if a piece of gear is inspiring, then it's done its job. I don't care if it's a fulltone or a danelectro, if it sounds great to you, then it is great---no matter what anybody thinks. For adding something to my tone that is not my 'bread and butter' and having a high 'fun/cheese factor' in doing so, makes this a great pedal.

Ok guys I don't know what you mean that the R&B setting sucks. I use it with a Marshall Valvestate RH100 and it was so heavy. I could get that Tommy Victor (Prong) Static-x sound. I mean FAT!!! Set the bass and treble at 11 and 1 o'clock and you are ready to break stuff. :) Overall I really like it and although it has limited options you can really play some heavy music and get a good sound with this. :)

As a straight stomp box, it's pretty simple. six way knob to determine the type of distortion you want plus a knob for gain, level, treble and bass. On the back is another knob for noise reduction which without knowing Zoom the marking "ZNR" may confuse a person, but no big deal...and that's all analog. It has a foot switch in and the whole green light, red light thing can get very confusing if you have no manual (which I didn't) and that is where the lost points are. Luckily I was able to figure it out by reading through these reviews and if you don't have a manual, I advise you read these reviews to help figure it out.

WHOA...this little box has gain and plenty of it. It can and will make a simple 12" amp sound like a stack. Amazing. I crank it up on Stack 1 and put the guitar in drop D and I swear I had Zakk Wyldes rig in my 12" Alamo Jet. As you probably already know from previous reviews, there 6 distortion models...Stack 1 (Zakk Wylde), Stack 2 (EVH), Combo 112 (weaker than the stacks...not really sure how to describe) , R&B (a big surprise considering the reviews...No it does not have a blues tone, but it does sound nice...ignore the name and it is usable), Metal (Soldano) and Zoom Box (Newer Brian May type tone). I think Combo 112 is my least favorite and I expected Zoom Box would be my favorite as I love Brian May, but I think I'm way more impressed with the Zakk Wylde tone in Stack 1. I've noted many people think they hear a little modulation on some of the distortions, but what I think they're hearing is Zoom emulating the sound of a stack pushing a lot of air. If you've ever played in front of a stack, you know what I'm talking about and I think Zoom emulates it pretty good. Oh, and the sustain is awesome...10 seconds easy.

OK, so it's great for high gain stuff...but is it perfect...no. Try turning the gain down, and it does not respond like you'd expect it too. You can't really get a simple low gain crunch out of it and forget blues. So, I give it an 8 here...for high gain stuff it's perfect, but it doesn't really respond the way you'd expect it to when the gain goes down and that's the reason for the two lost points. If you're only interested in high gain, I'd give it a 10, but it does lack a bit in the versitility area.

It's metal and extremely durable. I think it could take a major beating and I'd trust it.

Zoom has always had bad customer support IMO. When they didn't have any info on their site, I Emailed Samson and and got sent around for about 3 weeks till I finally got any kind of answer. Now the actualy Zoom site does have an Email address that I've used to ask questions on twice before...Before I got this product I was searching hard for it and Emailed Zoom to see if they'd ever consider reissueing it since it got such great reviews and after I got it I emailed them to see if I could get the manual. The first email was about 2 monthes ago and the second about a month and a half...neither have been answered. They seem to have made improvements in the site that help with newer products, but they could be better.

Here I just averaged the above and got a 7. If you are looking for a high gain pedal that will make a small amp sound like a stack, this is it. Great for that. It does lack a bit in versitility though. No blues and no simple crunch...just high gain. I like a lot of different styles, so I really don't use it as much as I'd expect. I've got a Zoom Fire 7010 that gives a lot of the same distortions and more that I use more than anything and to be honest, if I lost it, I probably wouldn't look for another like I looked for this one, but I don't think I'd want to part with it either. It does what it does extremely good, but as I like more versitility I give it a bit of a lower rating than most.

4 small knobs and one large knob. Easy! I only had to check the manual on how to set the two programs on the green and red channel. I really love the fact that you can switch between two types of sounds; perfect for a change of tone or a lead volume boost.
I never tried using batteries for this unit as I bought together with the wall wart.

Gibson SG thru Zoom 5000, Boss GE7 and Marshall tube amplifier. Not really noisy (has a built in Zoom Noise Reduction). I had to ease off the gain on some settings so as not to lose sound definition.
Stack 1: Lots of midrange with an open vowel distortion. Not bad, but I don't use it much though.
Stack 2: My personal favourite! Very tight bottom with less mid. Especiallly good for heavy metal and rock. I got a "Seasons in the Abyss" & Kill Em All" tone with the help of the GE7.
Combo: Similar to Stack 2 but more open with more midrange. I use it to play Iron Maiden and Dio again with the help of the GE7.
R&B: Sucks big time. A misnomer. Too much mid with even more bass.
Metal: Ok if used with GE7. Still no match when compared to the Boss Metal Zone just by itself. Then again, still usable although a bit too trebly for me.
Zoome Box: I just love this distortion! It sounds more like a high gain overdrive. But its the tone that really got me, it has a kind of twangy-ness (not Strat like though). Kind of hard to describe... I use this to play blues.

Very dependable, but I would never play without a backup.

Never dealt with them.

I play mainly heavy metal and rock together with a bit of blues. I think that it is a very good match for those playing these kind of music, although I'd recommend that you get a separate overdrive pedal for blues.

Been playing for 12 years. I've owned practically all the multi-effect units such as Pod, J-station, Zoom GFX8, Korg AX100G and more. However, I've gone back to individual stomp boxes as I find that they give me the sound that I truly want.

If lost, I'd definitely get another one if I can find one. But I strongly recommend using it with a Boss GE7 to get a multitude of sounds at your disposal (the unit does NOT have a Mid control knob).
Comparison? Personally, I don't think any of the Boss or DOD stomp boxes can compare to the Zoom 5000 in terms of distortion, with the exception of a Metal Zone. Look elsewhere for overdrive though.

This unit really helps me with my music although I wish that it had a mid control knob and a better overdrive sound to replace the R & B setting (maybe a Boss Turbo Overdrive?).

In terms of features, sound quality and value for money, this is the best distortion stomp box out there. I'd recommend this unit especially to those playing Rock and Metal.

Extremely easy to use

I play live & am using a strat into a PV Classic 30 & the Zoom only for dirt. No noise at all. Very strong distortion (wall of sound etc). Recorded with this the other day & sounds like 10 Marshall Plexi's in series, huge sound.

Yes, very dependable, using it now for 3 months no problems & yes do gig without backup.

N/A

Cover band stuff, playing for 22 years (and boy am I tired). If stolen I would try & get another but rare as hens teeth around here. Just a good strong distortion, I tried it with e.q. and it's very versitile.

very easy to use...the only thing is the bypass modeand progrm that u need to read in the manual.a baby could understand it...

Ibanez 550->Zoom gfx-8->Marshall vs15r
i use the zoom 5000 as an external dist through the zoom gfx8.both zoom products contain the noise reduction which is very helpful.im not a pro zoom user but just happen to like these two products.i gave this a 10 bcos for its value it is AMAZING.if u want the best dist get a fucking Mesa/Boogie triple rectifier MAN!it will blo your mind away.

it is extremely sturdy .everything seems metal except for the battery compartment which is understandble.GET THE ADAPTOR.THIS DAMN PEDAL SUCKS BATTERY LIKE A MOSQUITO.

never dealt with them

i play metal and this is a great pedal it gives u a good tight dist when you want it and a smooth overdrive when you turn down the gain.if your budgt is cheap and u want a godd heavy dist,get this i got a MT2and realise that it can only give one kind of dist.with the 5000u can vary you heavy dist.
i have compared this pedal to a korg104ds hyper distortion which i had intended to get. at the shop as i tried the korg then switch to the 5000i was impressed by the difference of the tightnessthat the 5000gave.
Overall it is a great value for money

This thing kicks!!! Great for heavy distortion, and also pretty good for classic rock sounds. The manual is very clear and concise. If you read the directions, the green light/red light thing isn't so confusing. Overall, it's pretty easy to get a good sound, but it's well worth the time to mess around with all the amp simulations.

I use an Ibanez S540 with an x2n in the bridge (super hot!), and I run it all straight into a Fender Hot Rod Deville. This pedal is very quiet, just set the noise reduction where it sounds best, and forget it. This is a very reliable unit, it always works, it always sounds great, no problems. As stated before, the R&B feature isn't very R&B, but that's not really what this pedal was designed for... But if you HAVE to get a blues tone, turn your guitar volume down, the pedal gain level down, and the output up, and that should get you pretty close.

Are you kidding? one of the most reliable pedals I've owned. Had it almost a year, used it at least 4-7 days a week, every week, for at least an hour. Gig without a backup? Excuse me? Does anybody gig without a backup of some sort? Yes, I trust the pedal, but no I'm not stupid enough to gig without a backup.

They discontinued this model, and I've never dealt with the company, so....

I play everything from vai style stuff, to petrucci type shred, to hardcore/speedcore, to punk, to jazz and experimental stuff a la Mr. Bungle. Between the Ibanez and the fender amp, I can get most of the sounds I need. If it were lost, I'd buy the other one the music store has. I live way out in bumfuck, and stock doesn't move very fast around here, so I could get a replacement easily (those pedals have been there for seven ears). I'd be kinda upset about losing $100, but yes I'd get another one. I kinda wish it had a midrange control, but between all the amp simulations, I don't think I got shorted. Besides, you could use an e.q. pedal, and that would be fine, so no big deal there. If you can find one of these things, snatch it up, and don't let anyone try to buy it off you. Yes, they sound better than the boss mt-2 (metal zone). I compared them for about an hour or so, and the zoom is just so much more versatile. It can get all the metal zone's sounds and some that the mt can't come up with, so....

Simple pimple. A huge knob to change the distortion type, and a gain control for the amount of distortion. Easy enough - but it takes a while to find the right amount of gain for the song you want to play.

I'm using a Squier Stratocaster and my 2x100watt Panasonic Hi-fi, and the only noise I get is a silent buzzing, which goes away when I switch off my PC. Plus, there's a Noise Reduction option, which helps a lot. I use the Stack 2 setting or Combo 112 as I play Oasis, Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers music, and I can almost always replicate the sound. The R&B effect isn't brilliant, though, and sounds way too muffled.

My adaptor's broken, so it keeps switching off, but it's not the pedal's fault. It hasn't let me down once yet.

Never needed to call them.

For indie music it's excellent, and it's just as excellent for Harder rock (e.g. Nirvana). While there are only 6 types of distortion, the high/low/gain controls can produce a completely different sound, as can the pickup switch on the guitar. I would buy it again if it were stolen or lost, because I've yet to find such a convincing Distortion/Overdrive pedal.

This dist is very easy to use. In a minute I can customize the sound for any song I play... Only thing I still can't use is that potentiometer on the back. What the hack is it for??? :)

I use this dist with Ibanez guitar, and I also tried it with Fender Stratocaster. I used many amps, and sound was always very good. I used it with hand-made amp, and it gave a life to my amp :)

I used zoom 5000 on many gigs, that were very important, and it done it's job. I only damaged it once, when I tried to improvise foot switch (the lesson is: don't try this at home).

I am now in Yugoslavia, Europe, and I still didn't try to contact the manufacturer.

I am satisfied with this dist, I bought it to get melodic-punk, blues, and rock sound, and I got even more. It is great, and I am happy that I got one.

piece of cake

kick ass, very powerful, though not as crunchy as fabtone, but it sound very complete.

consume too much battery power even on alkaline...but it's a titanic

very much suits my style